Sunday, March 23, 2008

Sleeping long.

I've always said that that you need more sleep when you work nights and sleep days. I've been adjusting to deep nights for a couple of weeks.

Yesterday morning I ended my night shift, returned home to my empty house*, and called a buddy. He and his wife had some errands planned today, and invited me to come along for lunch in their new car. I went along, and we enjoyed a beautiful sunny spring Saturday with blue skies and a high about 70 degrees. We had some Asian food, and came back to enjoy a beer and conversation on the back porch. Not wanting to wear out my welcome, I started for home.

On the way home, I thought, why not, while in town, stop for a six pack of good beer? The German deli in town offers a fine selection, and I chose Belgian white, and Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. (They let you mix six packs there.) As I was checking out, a girl before me walked in and ordered a Reuben sandwich before going to pick out a six pack of IPA. (No, Tamara was not visiting. I looked twice.) I stopped. Why hadn't I remembered that they made them there? The cook said he could get me a Reuben out fast. He did.

Good lord. I can't remember the last time I ate a sandwich that good.

After one IPA, I sat down in my bed to check email, at about 19:30 hours. I had been up for about 26 hours. My belly was full. I had a beer in my belly.

Sometime after midnight I woke up and folded the laptop and put it in the floor.

At a little after 09:30 this morning I woke up. 14 hours? Really? I wouldn't have thought it possible.

- - -*Wife and kids left Friday to visit relatives for Spring Break/Easter.

6 Comments:

You're gettin old Matt :-) only up 26 hours and had to have 14 hours of sleep??? Actually, it's not that unusual. Much like jet lag, each of us copes with changing circadian rhythms differently. I routinely do Japan and Australia, which are 10-12 hours out of sync, so I stay up until I land, then go to bed at the normal bed time there. I usually wake up 8 hours later at least competent to function. Coming home, I do the same thing. I'm pretty much over the jet lag in one night. Having siad that, as I get older, I do find I need less sleep- I can get by on 6 hours, but I'll take 8 or 10 if I can get it :-)

"As I was checking out, a girl before me walked in and ordered a Reuben sandwich before going to pick out a six pack of IPA. (No, Tamara was not visiting. I looked twice.)"

I'm franchising.

RobertaX introduced me to Shapiro's deli up here, which serves a Reuben that is not only as good as any I've ever had, but is also so stuffed with pastrami and kraut and cheese that I couldn't even finish the whole thing. Yum.